Cassiel
by EleonorevonKhaynach
Summary: Story takes place five years after Abel s battle with Cain. Imagine playing chess with only one Queen - whose side will she be on? Esther x Abel later. Rated M for mature content in future chapters
1. Prologue

_NOTE:_

_This is my first fan fic ever, so please R&R! I´m sorry for my awkward English, I´m not a native speaker. _  
_thoughts are written in italics  
Disclaimer: I don´t own Trinity Blood or it´s characters__  
_

At this time of day Westminster Abbey was all quiet and deserted. The Queen of Albion had to knock for a fairly long time until the sacristan opened. Although he could barely hide his amazement – after all it was past 11:30 p.m. - he nevertheless let her in and withdrew discreetly. After the enormous door fell shut the silence in the impressive church was almost palpable. The moonlight shone through the big windows and flooded the nave with cool white light.

_Alone at last! _she sighed.

The Queen walked slowly but with her characteristic grace towards the high altar, taking in the familiar smell of old damp walls and wax candles that always reminded her of her childhood in Istvan. She seldom permitted her thoughts to digress from her duties as queen of a small but now prospering kingdom. In the beginning of her reign she had had terrible nightmares every night, seeing the one whose name nobody dared to mention around her die. With his last breath he had muttered her name...However, the dreams had stopped when the doctor had prescribed her sleeping pills and during the day there was so much work to be done- after all she had to fulfill her duties as the Queen of Albion. She had to admit that maybe she wasn´t cut for being a queen but at least the work kept her from thinking of him.

As she had bravely tried to carry on with her new life months and then years went by without a single word from him. In this time the pretty girl had turned into a beautiful young woman whose sad lapis lazui-blue eyes touched the hearts of her subjects, courtiers- and suitors of course, but she kept her distance and her despair, her rage and her loneliness private. Only in some nights like this, when the moon shone bright, the bustling town Londinium went silent and the Queen of Albion put down her regalia and retired to Westminster Abbey to say her prayers, then the sense of an irrecoverable loss got out of hand.

Esther knelt down on the steps of the high altar and started to pray.

"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." Although she tried very hard to concentrate her mind wandered off. The peace and quiet confidence which she alsways had found in her prayers just wouldn´t come now. There was only sadness- and memories of Father Abel.

Even after all these years she remembered every single detail about him, his goofy smile, his faked clumsiness, the unbelievable 13 pieces of sugar for his tea, also his gentle and caring nature- and his fear that she would despise him for who or _what_ he was.

_But I never despised him, never. I was only afraid that´s why I called him a monster. And now it´s too late to apologize. If only I´d known... I could have hugged him and taken the pain away. But I didn´t understand! And he didn´t tell me... I could have thanked him for always being there for me...But I never.._.

It was too late now. His death had been her fault and when he was brought back to life he had turned away from her. He went away without saying good-bye. And rightly so. Or maybe not?

_Not a single word, nothing, for years. I hate him for that, for leaving me like this, I HATE HIM!_

Esther tried to pull herself together and once more began her prayer.

"...and forgive us our tresspasses, as we forgive those, who trespass against us..."

_Forgive...can he forgive me? _

She could not bear this any more. The wall of conscientuousness that Esther had built around her heart started to crumble. All at once the pain welled up so intensely that Esther started to shake uncontrollably. She bit her left hand to keep herself from crying but there was no way of holding the tears back anymore. The young woman´s petite body was convulsed with sobs.

_There´s nothing I wouldn´t do to see you again, well and alive, Abel, to tell you how much I missed you and ... that ...I..._

Suddenly a gust ruffled her long red hair. She startled and looked around. The huge church was illuminated only by altar candles so she could barely see anything at first. Then she realised that the main entrance stood slightly ajar. Esther wiped her tears away and rose slowly. She started to walk towards the door wishing she had brought a light with her. When she passed the quire she heard a soft noise behind her back sounding like-

_My name?_

Esther spun around.

„Hello? Is-is anybody there?" No reply. Esther clenched her fists.

_Oh, come on, now! I´m not going to be frightened now, am I?__In a church of all things!_

Nevertheless Esther shivered and quickened her pace. The marble busts of those who were laid to rest here seemed to watch her out of the shadows. The candles on the side altars flickered.

„Esther…."- There was the whisper again and this time there was no doubt, it was her name! In the corner of her eye Esther saw a movement and started to run. When she reached the door at last it was slammed shut with a deafening noise. Before Esther could turn around somebody put his hands around her waist and pulled her close. She could feel his breath on the skin of her neck as a soft voice said mockingly: "Oh Esther, do you really have to go?"

Esther knew that voice only too well. „C-Cain?" Her stomach twisted as panic was building up in her. Cain laughed and ran his long cool fingers along the beautifully curved line of her neck. For a moment the panic threatened to overwhelm her but then an old instinct woke that the former resistance fighter had thought to have lost over the years. Esther let herself fall and rolled on her feet before her surprised adversary could react. She slipped through his legs and ran towards the altar. There had to be a side entrance leading to the adjacent cloister! Her own steps echoed loudly but otherwise the church remained deadly silent. When she looked behind there was nobody to be seen.

"_Where is he?"_

All of a sudden Esther was grabbed ruggedly around the waist and lifted up.

"No! Let go!"

She struggled desperately but to no avail as her legs tangled up in her heavy folds of her dress. As she lost one shoe she realised that Cain had become airborne.

_He will take me with him!_

This thought gave her new strength. Esther fought Cain tooth and nail and even managed to kick him very hard. Cain´s grip loosened momentarily but before she fell to the ground he caught her left arm. A painful jerk went through it and Esther cried out in pain.

Cain grabbed her by the soulders and turned her arund so that she was facing him. Then all of a sudden she was struck so hard across her face that her eardrum seemed to split. Her eyes filled with tears. Cain pulled her now limp body close and held her very tight in a cruel parody of an embrace. He headed determinedly for the enormous window.

"No!Help! Please help me!" Esther screemed despairingly.

Cain paused his ascension for a moment and cupped her heart-shaped face with his big hand so that Esther was forced to look him in the eyes. Smirking he asked her:

"Do you know how doves are silenced?"

Then he closed his fingers around her delicate throat and started to throttle her. The last thing Esther heard was an ear-piercing noise when the beautiful church window was shattered in thousand peaces.


	2. Chapter 1

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate that.  
Sorry, the update took its time because this chapter was rather difficult to write- I already know how I want the whole story to end, but it is difficult to figure out how to get there. Well, have fun!

Disclaimer: I still don´t own Trinity Blood or its characters. sigh

* * *

**Chapter 1 - the quiet before the storm**

When Esther regained consciousness, at first there was nothing but cold, clammy darkness.  
_Where am I?_  
Obviously it was still night as the moon shone through a small metal-grilled window next to her. She was lying on an ancient four-poster bed, placed in the middle of a small room. Her left arm hurt badly and she could barely move it. Her throat felt sore.That reminded her of what had happened at Westminster Abbey.  
_Cain, he took me with him! Where is he?_  
She sat up quickly and - after her head stopped swimming- looked around fearfully.  
_He´s not here, _she thought,_ not yet. What can he possibly want?Lady Catherina warned me that somebody might try to take me hostage-but what is it that Cain would demand in exchange for my release?_  
Esther thought about her kingdom and her people- Terrans as well as Methuselahs. What could he possibly be interested in?A terrible suspicion came to her mind.  
_What if he wants to use me as a bait for Abel?_  
That meant that he was still alive- and in terrible danger! The fear for Abel was choking her and at the same time she fought the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.  
_Please, Abel, despise me, hate me or even forget about me but- but please, don´t come!_  
Deep inside Esther knew part of her still hoped that Abel would come. But the other part, the grown-up woman that she had become didn´t allow herself to be that selfish.  
She had to get out of here.

Esther got up, walked to the window and looked out. Obviously she was on the country side. As far as she could see the landscape was desolate and undulating, there were very few trees, mostly grass and low bushes. It was a lonely place with an otherworldly charme that somehow touched her deeply. Then she became aware of a howling sound that rose and ebbed away without ever dying away completely.  
_I know that sound! They call it wuthering, it´s the wind__blowing through the bushes in the moor. I must be somewhere in Scotia!_  
After her coronation she had toured the whole kingdom and the wild and sombre landscape of the sparsely populated northern part of Albion that was either slashed by driving rain or shrouded in mist had fascinated her.  
_I wonder if Abel would like it..._  
But Abel was not here.  
_And...he will not come. He must not come!_  
It slowly dawned upon her that she would have to face the Contra mundi all alone. Esther pressed her face against the cool window pane, closed her eyes and bit her quivering lower lip, hating herself for being so weak and so afraid.At last she tore herself away from the window- for the Queen of Albion giving up didn´t enter the equation.  
_No weakness anymore, no tears. I have to be strong if I am to survive._  
She had to get out of here quickly. Esther felt her way through the dark room. She bumped into pieces of furniture which were covered by a thick layer of dust. The furniture was either very heavy or simply to bulky for her, nothing that she could use as a weapon.  
Of course the door was closed. When Esther held her ear to it there was nothing but silence outside.  
She knew that there was little hope that she might escape from her prison but looking for every possible means of escape at least kept her busy.  
Meanwhile the wind had grown stronger and furiously rattled at the shutters. Dark clouds swept across the angry sky.  
Esther checked the window for a second time.  
_It´s only the first floor. If I would wrap the sheet around my arm and break the window, then maybe I could..._

"Don´t even think about it."  
Esther´s head jerked round sharply. A tall and wiry man stood next to the open door. He had brought no light with him so she could barely make out his face. But as the wind chased away the clouds once more, the moonlight fell onto clear-cut features and murky dark eyes that were framed by very long blackish-blue hair. There was a faint smell of cigarillos.

"Panzermagier!"

"Nice too meet you too, Eure Majestaet." Isaak Fernand von Kaempfer sounded amused.

_But that´s impossible! _Esther thought_, He was killed in the explosion of his air ship during the attack on the city of Londinium!_  
Esther paled with fear. That Methuselah was Cain´s second in command and he was not exactly known for his begnignancy. Even if she came out here alive, she would not be unharmed- as a member of AX she had heard rumours about certain preferences of von Kaempfer that had curdled her blood...

Isaak only looked her over and smiled maliciously. 

"Would you please follow me, Eure Majestaet."

When Esther hesitated, Isaak closed the distance between them in a heartbeat and grasped her injured arm. She gasped but did not protest. As he pulled her outside ruggedly, he nevertheless sensed her muscles tensing in pain.  
So she was trying to be brave? That promised to be quite entertaining.  
He lead her quickly through a dark, narrow corridor. Esther had to walk very close to Isaak, too close for comfort obviously.  
Although she tried to keep away from him, he could feel the soft curves of her petite body brushing against his own slender form.  
True, she was not as beautiful as poor Dietrich had been, but she was quite attractive for a Terran. Her long red hair formed a charming contrast to her fair skin, framing an expressive face with remarkable sapphire-blue eyes as its most striking feature.With every breath he sucked in her smell – a mixture of her own sweet natural smell, of her light perfume and of her fear- that was hard to resist. Isaak shivered in anticipation.  
The little Virgin Queen would pay for every inch of his skin that got burned in the explosion of his air ship. She would pay for repeatedly thwarting the plans of his Orden. And of course she would pay for the irritating fact that Dietrich had been so taken with her. The poor boy had tried to hide that from him, his master and lover!  
Isaak´s grip around Esther´s arm tightened and this time she couldn´t suppress a whimper, as he observed contentedly.

Meanwhile they had reached a broad staircase that lead down to a vast foyer. He pulled her down the stairs so quickly that she tripped over her own feet and would have fallen, if Isaak wouldn´t have caught her in the very last moment. Holding her close a little longer then necessary he breathed in her ear: 

"Be careful, my lady, you don´t want to hurt yourself, do you?" 

_Leave that to me, little one_, he thought. 

The Methuselah could feel how the woman´s pulse quickened. She squirmed uneasily in his grip and Isaak could barely restrain himself from licking over her neck that was revealed by the shifted collar of her dress.  
But Cain had made himself perfectly clear: "Bring her without delay"- that had been the order. So he carefully put her to the ground and shoved her through an antique wooden door to the left of the stairway, into a brightly illuminated room.

It was furnished in a very old-fashioned style, with sets of bookshelves and a thick carpet that muffled their steps. Through the high the howling of the wind was still audible.  
As they entered, a tall, slender man rose from a wing chair next to the fireplace.

„Good Evening, Esther", Cain said, "Do have a seat, your highness."

Although her stomach knotted in fear Esther answered coolly: 

„Thank you, I´d rather stand." 

Cain smiled- a sight that would have been breathtakingly beautiful if not for his eyes that showed no emotion whatsoever. 

„Well, my little queen, I can see that you are no longer the frightened child that my dear brother left behind. Certainly one of his better ideas."

He reached out his hand and stroked her face. Esther shrank back while his words cut her to the quick. 

_A frightened child he left behind? Because I was only a nuisance, an encumbrance to him? Is that what Abel really thought of me?_  
Her sapphire eyes filled with tears.  
Cain had watched her reaction closely and was satisfied. So Abel still was her weak point after all this years. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly while his gaze wandered slowly over her body.

„At least you are no longer a child." 

His dead eyes became alive with a flicker of emotion that frightened Esther even more than their lifeless depths had before. Long ag she had seen the same expression in Radcon´s eyes and never forgot it.  
Before she could react, Cain said:

„Isaak, show our guest her seat."

Isaak yanked her to an armchair opposite Cain´s and pushed her shoulders down without even reacting to her resistance as her week struggling was no match for his superhuman strength. To make sure that their precious guest would not try to leave the Methuselah positioned himself behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders.  
Every finger of these delicate-looking hands exerted so much pressure on her tender flesh that the pain very quickly became difficult to ignore. Meanwhile Esther´s elbow and upper arm had swollen and already turned black and blue.  
But that was not nearly as bad as Isaak´s adjacency which was making her uncomfortable, particularly as he played with strands of her long hair, tugging softly and curling it around his fingers.  
Esther forced herself to concentrate on what Dietrich (he of all people!) had taught her long ago in case she would be arrested: Stay calm, look for possible ways of escape and for everything that could be used as a weapon. The door was out of reach, but next to the fireplace a poker leaned against the wall. If she only...

Cain´s voice yanked her back to reality.

„I´m sorry that I had to abduct you in such a stagy manner, but Abel has a sense for histrionics-as you might have noticed. I had to make sure he would find out what happened and follow us."

Esther stared at Cain. 

_So this is all about Abel, just as I assumed._

She felt strangely dizzy as a wave of relief and deep sadness at the same time washed over her: Abel would not come, would not be in danger because of her. He was safe from his brother and that was what counted.  
It was only her and Cain now.  
Esther carefully kept her voice steady when she answered:

„Your efforts were to no avail, Abel won´t come. Just as you indicated before, I was never more than an encumbrance to him."

It hurt very much to say that aloud. To vocalize it somehow made it- _true_.  
Esther clenched the fabric of her skirt. Cain was not to see her shaking hands, he was not to see her crying for her broken dreams!  
Behind her, Isaak chuckled.  
She half expected Cain to react the same way, but he only sat down again. Much to her surprise, the Contra mundi took her tiny hands in his own and held them gently. He smiled again - a smile that never reached his eyes. Esther had not been at close range to Cain before. Now she noticed that these empty eyes maybe were the biggest difference between the two brothers that otherwise looked very much alike. Whether Abel was fretting over his empty stomach or giving her one of his goofy smiles, whether he was sad or even angry, his eyes always were full of life.

Cain almost purred, so soft was his voice as he asked her with feigned compassion:  
„Poor little Queen, did you really think that you don´t mean anything to my wayward brother? Let me tell you something. I kept you under surveillance for every day of the last five years. Every now and then, in stormy nights like this one, pathetic Abel sat on your window sill watching you tossing and turning in your sleep, crying and calling his name. And oh how sad he looked." 

Esther´s eyes widened and he laughed scornfully. 

"Did it never occur to you that he avoided you just to keep you safe? He rightly feared that you would catch my attention. At the same time he and that Methuselah brat hunted down every member of my Orden who crossed the Albionian borders- for your protection!"

An expression flashed over the woman´s pale face that Cain couldn´t interprete. She quickly cast down her eyes and moments later her face looked strangely blank.  
Cain was bemused, that was not the reaction he had expected.  
So he continued with more intensity: 

"Oh yes, my dear, Abel will come for you. And that will be his end. _You_ will be his nemesis, you will even be the one who strikes the fatal blow."

"What?" Esther tried to get up but couldn´t move because of Isaak´s relentless grasp- that reaction was more after Cain´s fancy. Slowly and with pleasure he took his time to explain his plans to her:

"Of course you will, little one. You will be my very own killing doll.  
You see, it is quite easy.  
Isaak will drink your blood. When he is finished with you- and I daresay that he will take his time- I will inject you with my blood. The nanomachines will take control over your body and as they optimize their host you will become a Krusnik, too. Since my blood will run through your veins I will be able to control your powers, your moves, your every thought.  
You will be my beautiful White Queen and as a reward for your generous help I will give you a quick death when I don´t need you anymore."

He let her hands go and leaned back in his chair, looking very satisfied with himself.

"Now what do you think?"

The young queen remained silent, her frozen expression didn´t change. Cain was astonished and a little worried at the same time. He had expected tears and panic, desperate pleas for his brother´s life, rage- anything but this pondering silence. But the woman only looked at him steadfastly.  
For a while nothing was to be heard then the crackling sounds of the fire.  
Then Esther said quietly:

„You are mistaken, Cain. Even if you tell the truth and Abel really came to watch me he was only obeying orders of Lady Sforza." She laughed mirthlessly.

"You look surprised. How come you don´t know? He owes her a lot, she brought him back to life after all-" the queen broke off and cleared her throat. When she went on speaking her voice sounded hoarse and flat.

"You have no idea what I went through during the last years. It is true, I ..I…Abel means a lot to me. But he just took me on mission because Lady Sforza ordered him to. Oh, Father Nightroad made himself quite clear, he thought I was just a bothersome, over enthusiastic kid who was a millstone around his neck. Only when he noticed that people liked and trusted me easily whereas he was only feared and hated he readily took me with him. How do you think he could gain Count Fortuna´s trust if not through me?  
I was so young and inexperienced, I…I trusted him..I ….even ….fell in love with him. And when he set forth to once and for all wipe out you and the Rosenkreuzorden, I was not of use anymore, because he had Lilith´s blood and Count Fortuna´s help. You see, I was only a weak Terran and he dropped me. He left without a word and took my only friend with him. I…hate….him." 

Tears welled up in the eyes of the young woman, but she struggled for countenance and finally smiled rancorously through the tears.  
"I will gladly accept-" she paused and then continued with only the faintest touch of sarcasm, "-you kind offer."

Cain stood up and gave Isaak a sign who left his place behind Esther to join his master. The queen rose too, now calm and serene. 


	3. Chapter 2

Well, again thank you for the reviews, that´s really an honour!

This chapter turned out to be very long, so I divided it in halves. The second half will follow soon.  
Oh, before I forget: I do not own Trinity Blood etcetc. and of course the title of this chapter as well as the lyrics belong to Within Temptation.

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**CHAPTER II - the Solemn Hour**

_ Are they themselves to blame  
The misery, the pain?  
Didn't we let go?  
Allowed it, let it grow?  
If we can't restrain  
The beast which dwells inside  
It will find its way somehow, somewhere in time  
Will we remember all of the suffering?  
´Cause if we fail it will be in vain._

Esther felt a little lightheaded. Soon there would be no more tears nor pain and no more duties. Isaak´s bite would kill her, Cain´s blood would bring her to a new life and she wouldn´t remember anything. Her old life would be over and done and of no importance. A tiny voice inside Esther´s head (and to be honest, it was the grown-up voice) protested:

_Half an hour ago you still tried to escape. Cain is manipulating you! This is why you want give up. _

The queen suppressed these unwelcome thoughts. She didn´t have the power anymore to face more years of waiting and unanswered prayers. The woman who could have everything she ever could think of wanted the only thing she could never have: Abel´s heart. To think he had been so close to her and never bothered to at least let her know he was safe!

She stepped forward to Isaak, opening the upper buttons of her collar and exposing her long elegant neck. Although performed innocently this small gesture made him want to devour everything she had to give- immediately. Again her infatuating scent engulfed him and made it difficult control his desire but he nevertheless gave Cain a questioning look: The woman had cooperated so maybe Herr Cain thought she should be treated in a less _special_ way than originally planned.

Cain raised his eyebrows.

"What are you waiting for, Isaak?" Since his subordinate still hesitated he added:  
"She´s yours. Consider it as a compensation for Dietrich."  
With that he retreated to his chair and watched.

Esther wondered what that was supposed to mean: The AX had suspected that von Kaempfer had been Dietrich´s mentor, but why compensation?  
She thought she saw hate flashing up in von Kaempfer´s eyes, but that maybe was only a reflection of the open fire. When he turned to her his face was smooth and didn´t give away his thoughts.

Unexpectedly tender and careful the Methuselah took her into his arms. The woman hung in his arms like a doll, not responding but not struggling either. The delicacy of her frame reminded him of Dietrich who had been killed by Cain because of one meaningless mistake, because of the queen´s and her associates´ fight against the Contra mundi.

How he had longed for the opportunity to make her feel the pain he felt. Now the time had come.

In a soothing singsong he mumbled in her ear:

„Pain, sharp but short, that first changes into a light burning and then into a not unpleasant tingling while I drink your blood. And then the world will darken and drift away from you until you are surrounded by a warm blackness in which you will drift peacefully until it´s all over. No thoughts or memories and or conscience. Is that what you expect?"

Esther nodded, her cheek touching his. She prepared herself for his bite- but nothing happened.

Isaak only tightened the embrace and continued softly, as if his words were endearments meant for a lover:  
"It will be nothing like that, mylady. I will break you like a horse and when you are ready for my Lord you will gladly accept his gift. Your thoughts will be like an open book for him and if he has the slightest notion of resistance, I will have the pleasure to torture you into submission. There will be no blissful oblivion and you will be conscious of everything you do- and of everything I do to you."

The meaning of his words slowly sunk in, waking Esther from her near hypnosis state.

She had been so naive! How could she ever think that these two demons would be the ones to put her out of her misery?  
Another terrible thought came up and cleared her head instantly.

Isaak sensed a shift in the woman´s thoughts. He brushed aside some unruly strands of her red hair and explored her face intently. To his surprise he found his gaze returned. She quietly asked: "Is that what you did to Dietrich?" There was no fear in her voice, only a deep sadness that stirred something deep inside Isaak´s black soul.

The Methuselah was stunned. He just did not understand that woman. She was not stupid, how could she think about a traitor when she must have realized what lied before her? Those Terrans and their compassion never failed to amuse him.  
Some unconscious change in his expression must have given away his amusement because in a heartbeat the woman´s demeanour changed completely. Forgotten was the passive victim that gave her life thankfully in the Rosenkreuz´ hands. Before him stood someone who was used to issue commands that were obeyed immediately.

She repeated sharply: "Is that what you did to Dietrich? Answer me!"

"Yes, why don´t you answer your queen, Isaak?" Cain sounded nothing but honestly interested but Isaak knew that his Herr was enjoying that spectacle.

Hatred against his lord and master that had slumbered deep inside him stirred and at the same time he wanted to howl with joy: Although the Terran was not aware of it she had invited him to a game- under his rules. And how he was going to enjoy it!

The Methuselah threw back his head and laughed while Esther stared at him uncomprehendingly.

For the split of a second the world stood still.  
Then she was slammed brutally against the wall next to the fireplace. The collision was so hard that it took her breath away but the pain nevertheless cleared her head of self-pity and sadness. Again, instincts trained years ago took over.

While she was still gasping for air she desperately fumbled for something she could use as weapon. Her left hand grasped something made of iron- the poker. She grabbed it and took a swing but before she could finish the movement Isaak reached Esther and wrest the poker from her.

Suddenly shadows lashed out and wrapped themselves around Esther´s arms, legs and waist, making it impossible for her to move at all. The Methuselah saw how she fought against their cold, merciless grips and against the panic that she was seized by and greedily licked his lips.

Breaking this woman would be an unrivalled pleasure!

At another unspoken command and his creatures dragged her to the fireplace.

„Will you ever try to do that again?" Isaak asked, smirking.

Esther remained silent. She would not give in, she swore, hoping that he would not have her pushed into the flames.  
Still smiling, Isaak shook his head in feigned affliction as the shadows held her right hand just over the blaze.

Esther cried out and fought against her sinister bonds but to no avail. Her eyes filled with tears. „I won´t let you use me as you used Dietrich and all your other pawns", she pressed out between clenched teeth.

That instantly wiped the smile off his face.  
"Correct me if I´m mistaken, but that sounded somewhat different five minutes ago. Did you really think your heartbreaking little speech would gain you leniency? I´m sorry to disappoint you. As you are still learning how to behave, I will graciously repeat my question once more: Will you ever try to do that again?"

Although the creatures had dragged her so close to the fires that the first strands of her long hair got singed, again she didn´t answer. Once more the shadows placed her hand over the blaze, lower this time so that the flickering flames almost touched her. The skin of her hand turned into a deep read and blistered and as the pain became unbearable Esther screamed:

„I won´t! Please!"

„Good girl."

The horrific creatures dragged her away from the fireplace. Isaak loved the determination he saw on the woman´s face that was wet with tears, despite her injury she fought his creatures relentlessly. He had always liked his toys young, frightened and- of course - in pain. And this one certainly was rather special. He was sure she would give him a good fight if he´d only let her. So he commanded his shadows to let go. Instantly they vanished into the realms where the had been conjured from.

As he had expected she seized the opportunity to make a dash for the door, only to be jerked back after her few steps: Isaak had simply stepped on the hem of her dress. She tripped and fell heavily, barely able to support herself because of her badly burnt right hand. As her weight fell on it she almost lost consciousness because of the pain that caused. Esther nevertheless forced herself to stay focused: Breathe, get up, RUN!

She tried to prop herself up on the other hand, but there seemed to be something wrong with it, it stuck out in a funny angle. And there was this hot liquid trickling from her brow into her eyes. When she tried to get on her feet, Esther realised that she had entangled herself so hopelessly in that cursed dress that she could not even turn around or get on her knees. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes and she could barely suppress a sob, her hope for fighting back or even escaping slowly fading away.


	4. Chapter 3

I repeat myself and do so gladly: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!  
Oh, and special thanks to naturally morbid -  
The title of this chapter is part of a poem by Heinrich Heine called "Storm", I couldn´t find a decent English translation though. It means approx. "In the battle noise of the winds"

Disclaimer: You know I don´t own Trinity Blood or its characters, don´t you?

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**Chapter III – Im Schlachtlärm der Winde**

Isaak watched with a smirk that widened into a grin when he saw that her skirt was half torn from the bodice and revealed the smoothe white skin of the small of her back and below a bit of dark blue lace.  
With one quick movement he completely tore away the skirt and savoured the sight of long shapely legs and perfectly curved buttocks hidden under dainty lace panties. The woman doubled her efforts to get on her feet. But only one quick command and his shadows reappeared out of nowhere, turned her around and pinned her arms and feet to the floor.

"No!" Esther yelled, tears now washing over her face mingling with blood from the laceration on her brow. Both her hands hurt terribly. She didn´t dare to look neither at them nor at those_ things_ that held her back because she feared to completely lose her nerve. _They _were cold and hard as stone and yet alive in a way that made her feel queasy. The floor was cold under her and she was frail and vulnerable- and hated it.  
And then the Methuselah was above her.

When her skin had broken and blood had started to trickle from her wound, Isaak felt as if he stood in a rose garden while all the roses opened their blooms at the same time- her scent was so strong now that he could barely restrain himself. He had to take her. Still grinning he grabbed her collar and tore it open with a jerk, revealing a lace bra and more immaculate white skin. She fought against the merciless grip of his creatures while a blush crept up from her cleavage to her neck and face- as if a porcelain doll was breathed life into, thought Isaak. He traced the soft lines of her jaw and cheekbone and turned her head to the side presenting her pulsing carotid. Then he licked over this spot where the skin was the softest, letting his sharp canines lightly graze it.

She stopped fighting, apparently accepting the inevitable bite.  
Isaak took her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his gaze.  
„No, you won´t get away that lightly…." he purred, his voice pure venom matching the colour of his eyes that had turned to a deep red.

The Methuselah let his thumb slowly trail over her neck and then over her collarbone, waiting for her to realize what exactly he meant. When she did, the woman´s eyes widened, her lower lip started to quiver while her blush deepened. Her innocence was intoxicating Isaak, making him want to break her body and soul. He knelt above her, masses of raven hair enshrouding them both, and tore her bra and panties from her, laughing at her protest. And then his hands were all over her body, feeling her up while his shadows still rendered any movement impossible. Now Isaak removed his pentagram gloves, his hands turning into claws at the same moment. The woman whimpered and tried to move his body away from him, but paused immediately when she unmistakeably noticed that her frantic movements aroused him.  
Isaak took a smell at her throat, kissed it and traced his tongue from her throat and shoulders to her now exposed breasts, leaving two bloody traces where his teeth grazed the soft skin. Then he took one of her nipples in his mouth, squeezing the other hard with his hand.

Esther turned her head away from his gaze, feeling indescribably humiliated and ashamed. Maybe it would be over more quickly if she didn´t struggle? She ceased to fight against the grip of his creatures.

Isaak decided it was time to stop her heroic behaviour.  
All of a sudden his claws seemed to be everywhere, raking up and down her body.

"Stop, please, please, stop!" Esther screamed. She was sobbing now and her fragile frame was shaking so hard that her pleas were barely comprehendible.  
"Make me, little one."

And with that he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her breast, drinking her blood in small gulps. It was like drinking her delicious scent, the adrenaline in it made him dizzy, feeling a little drunk. He took her other breast as well, leaving deep bites, the skin around them turning purple already.  
Isaak took his time. He paused a moment to look at her, taking in the sight of her flayed body as if it were a piece of art. He loved the way her creamy white skin turned black, blue and crimson where he had touched her, her blood covering her like perverted rose petals. Slowly, almost tenderly he started to lick the warm liquid off her hips and inner thighs, trailing his lips upwards. He spread her legs and licked around her entrance, letting her feel his sharp teeth. The woman cried out in desperation. Before he could taste what seemed the sweetest to him, Cain´s sharp voice broke in sharply.  
"Isaak, we have no time for your little games, he found us. Hurry!"

Isaak hesitated only for a second before he pulled back and sank his teeth into her throat without further warning. He drank her blood in deep gulps until he felt her body going limp under him. The Methuselah ordered his shadows to let go, lifted the woman up and tossed her into Cain´s arms.

His master easily caught the bloody bundle of flesh and bone and held her close. Cain didn´t seem to mind that her blood spoiled the pristine white of his clothing. She looked at him with unseeing eyes. He examined the woman pensively, tracing a particular deep gash on her breast with the tip of his index finger.

„You really do miss Dietrich, Isaak, don´t you?"

Isaak flinched.

Cain laughed. It didn´t slip his attention that the Methuselah clenched his fists in the effort to control his hatred against the contra mundi.  
The woman stirred, and Isaak caught her gaze for a short moment. In her bloodshot, swollen eyes there was no hatred, only – knowing. She knew how he felt. He felt the urge to thrash that look off her face as he had wanted to destroy Dietrich´s haughtiness long ago. He raised his hand to hit her only to see her expression change to scorn- not fear as was to be expected. The Methuselah realised that he hadn´t suceeded in breaking her. With only one look, that small creature had defeated him.  
Now he understood what Dietrich had been so fascinated about.

Meanwhile Cain had produced a big glass syringe with a red fluid in it- his blood. Isaak noticed that there was something wrong it, it seemed alive in a most horrid way. The contra mundi held the woman close and injected the liquid in her left arm. She only quivered, not able to fight anymore.  
Cain pulled her closer and tucked her in with his cloak. Isaak was taken aback, his master had never been a gentle or even caring man.  
That woman obviously was very important to his plans.  
Both men watched her in silence.

The small puncture on her arm swoll, the skin around it turning a sickening blueish-red that quickly spread out. The woman moaned, her lids fluttered but otherwise did not move.  
The two men waited while the storm whipped the rain against the windows. The old house groaned under the unleashed elements.

Although Isaak didn´t know what exactly was supposed to happen he couldn´t help but notice that it was not going well. The woman´s heartbeat, that already had been very slow, slowed down even more. Now she curled herself up, whimpering from time to time.

Cain was getting impatient. He took the syringe, drew up more of his blood and injected the woman with it. This time she didn´t even flinch. Her lips moved ever so softly, always forming the same syllables that even he could barely hear over the furious howling of the storm. Was she thinking of the Abel? Was she praying?

Isaak watched in fascination as her skin turned purple under the bloody marks he had left, and then white again. The contrast of blood on creamy white reminded him of a beautiful abstract painting he once painted with one of his victims' remains.

The woman was quiet now, her eyes closed.

„Feed her." Cain´s voice cut through Isaak´s reveries.

The Methuselah met him with disbelief. "Herr?"

„Do I have to repeat myself? Give her your blood."

Isaak bared his teeth and glared at Cain, but to no avail. He could not counter the icy stare of his opponent. Wordlessly he slit his wrist and let blood drop into the woman´s tiny mouth, watching her lips closing around it like petals.

After a few drops Cain ordered:  
"Enough, otherwise she will be too strong!"

At first the stabbing pain of the wounds Isaak had inflicted on her had been all Esther perceived. She had barely noticed the injection, only that the Methuselah had stopped torturing her. But now she felt something creeping icily up her veins, slowly and painfully taking over her body. Her muscles twitched and her skin prickled. Suddenly all her senses seemed to be enhanced, making the soft fabric of Cain´s austere white clothing feel like sandpaper on her skin. The sharp crackling sounds of the fire were deafening to her and the somewhat moldy smell of the house almost made her sick.

_What´s happening to me?_

Whatever it was, it frightened her more then Isaak´s assault had before. It took some effort to turn her head but finally she managed to look at Cain.  
"Please...what is... happening?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Cain assumed that the change was complete. He gingerly brushed a strand of her hair out of her face.

"The nanomachines have taken over your body. You are one of my kind now", he answered kindly.

And it was true. She was of his kind. The members of Orden were useful tools and some of them had been quite an amusement, but none of them had attracted his attention for more then several days. They died so quickly. Isaak had been interesting, but the Methusalem had preferred to waste his passion on a certain twisted boy. And the others? Lilith had preferred Abel to him who had finally chosen the Terrans over him and little Seth had always been uncomfortable around him. But this one would not turn her back on him, would she? She was his.  
He carefully took her in his arms and stood up.  
"It is time to go, my beautiful queen." With that he put her feet to the ground.

Esther´s legs gave in and she sank to his feet, unable to move. She only looked up to Cain and shook her head.  
She had finally made her dicision.  
_I must not help him...I must not betray Abel, no matter what he did. I...have to fight... so weak... my limbs are heavy. Oh Father in heaven, please help me!_

Cain frowned and then cupped her face with his hand as he had before. His icy blue eyes bore into her head. Why didn´t she obey? After all he had been very kind and patient.  
He took her up in his arms again, never averting his gaze.

Then she could feel him, reaching inside her mind. His touch was so cold! He was looking for something, yes, looking for a means to control her, searching for a way to get in. Somehow their connection was mutual and Esther caught a sense of urgency.He had to make her his now or otherwise would never get a chance to do it.  
_I have to shut him out! But how, how?_

The intruder found Esther´s childhood memories and shoved them aside carelessly. He went on, touching upon memories of her training at the Vatican, of meetings of the AX-members and many other cherished moments with Ion, Seth and others, pausing only for instants.

Esther felt dirty and more violated than ever.  
_I have to prevent Cain from using my memories of Abel against him. There has to be a way!_  
Long ago Noelle had mentioned how she had imagined a picture of her favourite chapel as a retreat when a Methuselah had tried to read her mind.  
_I have to find something like that._  
But Esther could barely focus her thoughts as Cain rummaged through her mind. Her body was aching all over. So she simple pictured herself curling up under Abel´s black wings and listening to his slow steady heartbeat as she had done once long time ago.  
The intruder rejoiced, that was what he wanted! He tried to get hold of these thoughts.  
In her distress Esther tried to make the picture more vivid. She recalled how she had felt soft warm skin where his robe had been torn. She thought of the soft rustling of Abel´s wings, how he had put his arm around her and held her close while he had mumbled soothing words. In her imagination, she hugged him back and nuzzled her head against his chest. She regret that she was too shy to do that when she still had the opportunity.

Suddenly Cain´s search stopped.

He was furious. Damn her! How had she been able to shut him out? Isaak had mentioned nothing about that!  
There was no time for a careful search anymore. Although the Panzermagier had warned him that violence in mind reading might cause irreparable damage, Cain tried the only way he knew. His mental grip tightened, and all of a sudden a stabbing pain shot through Esther´s body, at once shattering the comfortable little dream she had built around her mind.

She had thought nothing could be more painful than Isaak´s torture but she had been wrong.

Through storm and rain Esther´s cries of pain reached the sharp ears of the avenging angel closing in on the last two members of the Rosenkreuz Orden. The horrible sound cut him to the quick, fearing the worst for the delicate yound woman he had never stopped thinking of. His heart sped up and he let out a long drawn-out inhuman scream, full of hatred and rage.

In the mansion, Cain´s and Isaak´s heads snapped up at the same time. They exchanged a glance. Rumour had it that Abel had not only mercilessly killed but also fed upon every single Methuselah member of the Orden who had tried cross Albionian borders and was stronger then ever. This would be the only chance, the last chance for Cain whose body was decaying faster and faster.

Isaak quietly left the room.

For a moment Esther´s mind was hers again. Her sense of hearing matched Cain´s and Isaak´s now, so she too had heard the unearthly shriek.  
_Abel!_  
She weekly resumed her efforts to free herself from Cain, but he easily caught her wrists and snapped "Get up!"

When she didn´t react, his mental fingers reached for her again, turning and twisting something inside her. The white-hot pain felt as if it was tearing her apart. She screamed and screamed in agony, begging and sobbing.

Again her screams didn´t go unheard. The creature that had travelled with the storm gained speed. His wrath was only matched by his anxiety for his beloved. Flashes of lightning announced his arrival and raged around the old mansion where he knew his search would end.  
_Please, God, don´t let me come too late!_  
Below him a small figure was running towards the house, way too fast for a Terran. Ion. He must have heard her too, because the Methuselah doubled his efforts.

Cain loosened his grip on Esther. He knew she would die if he continued. She was already bleeding from mouth and ears, her body weakened from many wounds and the loss of blood. His own blood ran through her body, but something was wrong. It did not heal her and he could not gain control over her.  
The woman´s eyes opened.

"I will... not be... of use to... you..."  
She even smiled.

Cain cursed. He didn´t know why, but he had lost her. That bothered him somehow. For the moment.  
But in the end it would not matter.  
Then he chuckled. Her sorry sight would irritate his brother long enough to strike a lethal blow, Isaak had taken care of that. What a pity that he had to dispose of the Panzermagier who had been so useful to him. But this infatuation with Dietrich had caused a friction between them, Cain thought. Well, nevermind.  
Afterwards, when he had taken Abel´s body the pretty one would not hesitate to follow him, to be his queen. To be _his_, and his only.

With a loud crash the windows of the room were shattered. The wind whipped the rain inside, drenching them. Somewhere else in there house wood was broken. Isaak shouted something and a clear voice answered.  
_Ion? That´s Ion!_

Esther´s eyes filled with tears. So they had both come for her. Whatever their reasons were, she didn´t have to face death alone.

"Cain! Where is she?" called a raspy voice that easily drowned out the storm.

Facing the window Esther caught a glimpse of a certain black-winged demon whose eyes were glowing red eerily. His long silvery hair was defying the storm, forming a living crown above his head. The air around him was sparkling with electricity.

Esther´s heart jumped at his sight.

Cain smiled.  
"Welcome, brother."  
He took the woman by her neck as if she were a puppy and gracefully stepped outside through one of the big window frames


End file.
